Being a Landlord

Being a landlord will become more and more expensive and difficult. Passed into legislation over a year ago it will be compulsory by the 1st of July 2019 for all rental properties to meet new insulation standards and mandatory smoke alarms in rental properties.

Wellington City Council is operating a WOF or Warrant of Fitness requirement for rental houses which has the very desirable aim of improving the standard of rental properties. As with many bureaucracy initiated moves however the present system seems to be way over the top.

Of the 144 properties trailed before the WOF was introduction 90% failed - probably because of the over-the-top standards rather than 9 out of 10 of the properties being “unhealthy”. 

On the next page is the pass / fail form for the WOF. The Greens propose a compulsory WOF by 2019 and would go even further with a landlord bond to cover repairs, a registration fee and recheck inspection fees every 3 years. 

It is likely that Methamphetamine testing will also become a requirement too. The cost of being a landlord will certainly increase and probably rents too as a result. Unless the WOF which will certainly be introduced throughout NZ is made more practical then watch out for the Mother of all rental shortages.